The 5 Biggest Myths About Eating Fat

If you were confused about some of these, we don't blame you.
- byKorin Miller

Oct
2017

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People are confused about fats, and it’s pretty understandable on some level. After all, a few years ago, they were seen as the worst thing ever, and now we’re told that fats are an important part of ahealthy diet.

At some point, you’ve probably heard some myths and misconceptions about fats, and they may have stuck with you. (Again, understandable.) That’s why we connected with several top dieticians to help clear up misunderstandings about fats. Here are the biggest you’ve probably heard—and the actual truth.

Eating any amount of fat will make you gain weight

Sure, if you eat a lot of high-fat foods all the time, you’re probably going to see the number creep up on the scale. But if you watch your fat intake, you should be just fine. “Because fat has nine calories per gram (compared to four calories per gram of protein or fat), it's true that a little goes a long way,” says says New York-based R.D. Jessica Cording. “To prevent weight gain, make sure you're consuming it in an amount that fits within the context of your daily calorie needs.” According to Australian guidelines, fat should make up 30% of your total energy intake each day, but your consumption of saturated fat should be less than 10%.

Fat is bad for you

Like carbs, there are high-quality fats and low quality fats, says Julie Upton, R.D., and co-founder of nutrition website Appetite for Health. “Low-quality fats, just like low-quality carbs, are not beneficial for your health,” she says, calling out saturated fats, which typically show up inprocessed foods. According to theUSDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans, foods with good fats include foods like salmon, walnuts, and flax seeds while the not-so-good fats can be found in things like butter, beef fats, or any partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils.

There's only one type of fat

Fat tends to be lumped together, but there are actually several different types. “They are very different,” says Upton. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are heart-healthy and are burned readily by the body, while saturated fats and trans fats are more easily stored as body fat, she explains. Saturated fats "are found in the greatest amounts in coconut and palm kernel oils, in butter and beef fats," according to theUSDA. They can also be found in pork and chicken fats. Meanwhile, trans fats are "found primarily in partially hydrogenated-vegetable oils" in processed foods and in animal fats, theUSDA says.